Chapter 15 #2
Beckett tapped the bottom edge of the papers on the table top, and ran her fingers across the top edge to ensure a perfectly aligned stack before calling out, “Next we have plans for a proposed expansion of the Tribal gardens, submitted by Rowan Birdsong, Senior Environmental Advisor, and Juniper Banks, Program Manager of the Tribal Food Sovereignty Program.” She looked at both of them and paused. “Please step forward.”
Juniper officially understood why people called her the General now that she was in the hot seat.
Beckett looked back down at her stack of papers as Rowan and Juniper settled at the podium in front of the Council table with their own stack of papers to reference.
Beckett picked up her black fountain pen that had been perfectly aligned to the side of her papers and scribbled something in the top right margin.
Juniper was dying to know, already, what she had written.
Patience was obviously not her strong suit.
Beckett trailed her index and middle finger down the left margin of the document, stopping at every few points, before she stated, “For the record, these plans were submitted on Tuesday of last week. Council, do you feel that you were given sufficient time to review said plans before this meeting?”
After only a few seconds of silence, Juniper couldn’t stop herself from apologizing.
“I’m sorry, Councilwoman, I thought I submitted them according to the timeline I was given—”
“No need to apologize, Ms. Banks,” Beckett interjected, finally looking up. “No one has objected to the time given for review.”
Juniper pressed her lips together and said okay, thank you in her mind instead of out loud. She wasn’t going to risk speaking out of turn again.
“These plans propose that the Tribe allocate additional space needed to expand the garden in the amount of four acres. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct,” Juniper paused before adding, “the unused area directly adjacent to the existing gardens.”
“I see that.” Beckett tapped her index and middle finger next to a spot in the left margin about three-quarters down the page.
Fuck. This was not going how she thought it would.
“These plans also propose the construction of a farmer’s market arbor, providing one central location for the purchasing of produce by both Tribal citizens and other local area residents. For the benefit of the Council’s knowledge, you have discussed this with the Tribal Infrastructure Department?”
Juniper looked at Rowan, indicating her turn.
“Yes, that’s right. After we developed the initial idea,” Rowan looked to Juniper before looking back to Beckett, “I proposed the idea to Chairwoman Grant, who provided initial guidance to liaise with the Director of the Tribal Infrastructure Department. We met over the course of two weeks and revised and finalized that part of the plan together, which is what you see on page four.”
After writing notes in the right margin on page four, Beckett asked a few more questions that Rowan answered in her perfectly trained, lawyer way.
Beckett wrote more notes in the margins of other pages.
Then she set her pen back down directly parallel to the stack of papers in its prior position.
She folded her hands in front of her and looked up at Rowan.
“You have to understand this Council has been given the charge of overseeing the administrative activities of the Tribe, including land use, construction, acquisitions, and major expenditures. When there are intergovernmental implications for all four of these imperative charges, which is what we see in these plans, we have to review these requests more diligently.”
“We understand that, Councilwoman, and we appreciate the Council’s thorough review.”
Juniper was glad Rowan had taken over this part. She was sure she would be struggling not to add Your Honor or even Yes sir to the end of each line.
“We will pause here now for open comment,” Beckett intoned, addressing the crowd of citizens seated at the meeting.
Beckett waited patiently for at least a minute, a minute that felt like it dragged on for an hour.
She was obviously nothing if not totally thorough.
“For the record, there is no public comment provided.”
Beckett picked up her pen, took more of her own notes, and set the pen back down.
“Ms. Banks, I understand from these plans and my conversations with community members that the creation of the existing Tribal gardens is a result of your own hard work, reestablishing our community’s knowledge on traditional cultivation and coordinating our community toward a vision of total food security based on healthy, culturally appropriate food grown in environmentally sustainable methods. ”
Beckett paused. Juniper wasn’t sure whether she should respond or not. She had been to so many of these damn meetings but nothing compared to this.
Rowan slid a pinky finger next to hers on the podium and tapped against it discreetly.
“It is,” Juniper responded.
A small smile curled the right edge of Beckett’s lips. “For the benefit of the Council’s knowledge, please tell us more.”
“Oh, I…” Juniper faltered, unsure how to respond.
Rowan linked their pinkies together, and Juniper took a calming breath. She launched into the entire history of her efforts, from starting her own garden, to working with other community members to start theirs, to teaching agricultural classes, to starting this fully-fledged program.
“Thank you, Ms. Banks, for providing that information to us and for being our community’s visionary toward that end of total food security.
Making a difference in our community depends on the work of many people coming together with a shared focus, united by leadership that guides, is accountable, and paves the way forward.
Our community needs more people like you, leaders who set aside their needs for personal praise or for instant gratification and success.
As you said, this largely volunteer effort is seven years in the making.
Citizens in the room, take note and ask her for guidance in your own efforts. ”
“In addition,” she continued, “these were some of the most thorough plans I have ever seen submitted to this Council, which is why I wanted to ensure that everyone had adequate time to review and draft extensive comment, something that this caliber of thoughtfulness deserves from its elected leaders. The rest of Council will ask questions and provide their comments now.”
The rest of the Council provided their comments, mostly encouragement to Juniper and excitement for the future unveiling of the expansion and farmer’s market.
Juniper had to actively fight back tears that welled in her eyes and threatened to spill out in front of everyone in the room.
After a unanimously positive vote, the expansion plans were approved in their entirety.
“Thank you, Ms. Banks and Ms. Birdsong. I look forward to seeing the work unfold, and please invite us to the opening.”
“Thank you, Council. We will,” Juniper beamed.
Rowan unlocked their pinkies, gathered their papers, and waited for Juniper to pass by first. After they found their seats again, Juniper found it nearly impossible to sit through the remainder of the meeting.
But she did. And she let her thoughts trail off, imagining all of the exciting things she had just been approved to plan, create, do.
And how she hoped Rowan would be by her side through all of it.
◆◆◆
When the meeting ended, as was customary, the community partook in drinks and refreshments as they discussed the events of the evening.
Several people wanted to talk to Juniper, and Rowan was happy to provide her the space to shine.
After saying hello and visiting with a few people, she returned to her seat to take another look at the plans, making mental notes of areas where they should prioritize working on first.
“I don’t think we’ve officially met.”
Rowan’s thoughts were interrupted by a formidable Councilwoman, now beside her and peering over her as she sat. Even though Rowan had a couple of inches on Beckett while standing, Beckett commanded a presence that someone seven feet tall would have no choice but to give.
Before Rowan could stand up, Beckett pulled the seat out next to her and sat down.
“No, I don’t think so. ”
“It’s Beckett. Don’t do the whole Councilwoman thing when I’m off the clock.”
Rowan let out a slight laugh, cautiously relieved but still a little skeptical. “I can manage that.”
“Good.”
Even though Rowan was comfortable in the courtroom-style interactions that characterized the evening earlier, she was still a reserved, introverted person at heart who had trouble making small talk with someone she didn’t know, especially with someone like Beckett.
She was wracking her mind, scrolling some sort of mental rolodex of opening lines that would make her feel less awkward just sitting there.
“I hear you’re a lawyer. You recently moved back home after several years away.”
Rowan was relieved she didn’t have to break the silence first.
“Yes — to both.”
“Interesting. How are you settling in so far, outside of work?”
“Pretty well, I think. I recently moved into a house in the new housing development area, so getting that set up has taken up a good amount of time recently. It’s been a transition, though, for sure.”
Beckett leaned back in her chair and propped an elbow up on its back. That felt uncharacteristically relaxed based on how she had seen her interact earlier in the evening. Beckett gazed at her intently.
“I’m sure it’s been rough transitioning back here from New York City in other areas, you know.”
Rowan paused. She knew she wasn’t hitting on her, but was she really hinting at what she thought she was?
“You mean, in terms of lifestyle?” She ventured cautiously.
“Yes, lifestyle,” Beckett emphasized with a smirk.